Saab Group (originally Svenska Aeroplan AB, later SAAB and Saab AB) is a Swedish aerospace and defence company, founded in 1937. From 1947 to 1990 it was the parent company of automobile manufacturer Saab Automobile. Between 1968 and 1995 the company was in a merger with commercial vehicle manufacturer Scania-Vabis, known as Saab-Scania. The two were de-merged in 1995 by the new owners, Investor AB. Despite the demerger, both Saab and Scania share the right to use the griffin logo,[2] which originates from the coat of arms of the Swedish region of Scania.[3]

"Svenska Aeroplan AB (aktiebolag)" (Swedish for "Swedish Aeroplane Company Limited") (SAAB) was founded in 1937 in Trollhättan,[4] with the merger of Svenska Aero AB (SAAB) and Linköping based VASJA[5] the headquarters moved to Linköping. The style "Saab" replaced "SAAB" around 1950.[5]

Originally manufacturing aircraft, the company sought ways in which to diversify its business. In the late 1940s the company began manufacturing cars at its Saab Automobile division was based in Trollhättan. The first car was the Saab 92; full-scale production started December 12, 1949, based on the prototype Ursaab.[6]

In the late 1950s Saab ventured into the computer market with Datasaab.[4] The company was a result partly of the need to make a computer that would be small enough to mount in an aeroplane as navigational equipment. During the 1960s several computers were developed and sold to European countries, for uses such as banking. The aircraft computer (CK 37) was used in 1971 in the Viggen. The company was sold in 1975 to Sperry UNIVAC, while Saab retained its flight computer development.

In May 1965, the company name was changed to Saab AB to reflect its broad range of activities.[5]

In 1991 Investor AB completed a leveraged buyout of Saab-Scania AB. Investor AB acquired all the outstanding shares in Saab-Scania for approximately SEK 21 billion.[8][9][10] Saab-Scania became a wholly owned subsidiary of Investor AB and the company was de-listed.[11]

In 1995 Saab-Scania was divided by Investor AB into two independent companies, de-merging into Scania AB and Saab AB. The intention by Investor AB was to broaden ownership in the two companies later.[12] Following the sale of 50% of the car division Saab Automobile AB to General Motors, the main reason behind the merger with lorry manufacturer Scania-Vabis in 1968 had disappeared.

Saab Military Aircraft and British Aerospace (now BAE Systems) formed in 1995 the joint venture company Saab-BAe Gripen AB, to manufacture, market and support Gripen internationally. This co-operation was extended in 2001 with the formation of Gripen International for the same purpose.[13]

From 1998 until 2005 the largest shareholder in Saab was the British aerospace company BAE Systems, following its acquisition of a 35% stake from Investor AB by its predecessor, British Aerospace. In January 2005, BAE Systems reduced its shareholding to 20%. Investor AB maintained a 20% share.

16 November 1999, Saab announced its intention is to purchase Celsius AB and the acquisition was concluded by early March 2000. [14]

In December 2005 Saab joined the Dassault nEUROn project as a major partner.

In October 2008 the company announced its intention to merge its operations with that of Simrad Optronics. The new unit will develop high-tech optronics products and will be headquartered in Norway, although other details of the new arrangement have not been finalized.[15]

In 2010 the company restructured from fifteen business units into five business areas; Aeronautics, Dynamics, Electronic Defence Systems, Security and Defence Solutions, and Support and Services. According to Saab the restructuring was undertaken to become more market and customer oriented.[16]

In March 2010, BAE Systems sold half of its 20% stake in the company to Investor AB, which then became the major shareholder.[17] In June 2011, the British company eventually sold its remaining stake bringing its 16 year involvement in Saab to an end.[18]

As of June 2012, Investor AB owns a 30% stake in the company (39.5% of the voting rights) and is the majority owner.[citation needed]

Aeronautics offers airborne systems, related subsystems, Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and aerostructures. The business area Aeronautics is responsible for airframe structures for JAS 39 Gripen, and whole sections for Airbus, Boeing and NH90; & system development of the JAS 39 Gripen and the Skeldar VTOL UAV. Aeronautics is also partner in the European joint UAV-project Dassault nEUROn, where Saab develop Avionics and is responsible for the overall architecture and design. Marketing and support of the JAS 39 Gripen fighter jet is also included in the Aeronautics business area.[19]

Various self-protection systems are also offered within the business area, such as counter measure dispenser systems, sensors and jammers. The business area also offer display systems, head up displays, monitoring systems and various other avionics related solutions.[21]

The security and defence solutions area develop systems within the civil security sector as well as training and simulation solutions. The offer include Airborne early warning systems and C4ISTAR systems.[22]

The training and simulation operations of the area offer tactical training and live-firing solutions for military and civil security use.

The Saab Barracuda LLC facility in Lillington, North Carolina, manufactures signature management products and provides customized services. Foremost among the camouflage, concealment and deception products is the Ultra Lightweight Camouflage Net System (ULCANS) which provides multi-spectral protection against visual, near infrared, thermal infrared and broadband radar detection. ULCANS is fielded with the U.S. Army and other Department of Defense organizations and is available in both woodland and desert versions.[25] Saab Barracuda is one of only two qualified suppliers of ULCANS in North America, and currently holds a competed $1.76 B contract, along with GMA Cover Corp.[26]

^Kerin, John (Sep 11, 2014), "Swedes launch desperate bid for Oz submarine project", The Australian Financial Review, ’As of July 2, Saab completed a full takeover of Kockums [the designer of Australia’s existing Collins class submarines] which is now Saab Kockums and the Swedish Kingdom now controls the intellectual property for the Collins class submarines’.

^Erripis, Ioannis K (Apr 15, 2013), "Saab’s new stealth fighter program", Aerospace (Robot pig), Saab is investigating the design of the next generation fighter that will someday eventually replace the Gripen. […] a small research program that SAAB is conduction with the University of Linköping. […] It looks similar to the Gripen and the main difference is the V-tail.

^Glowacki, Bartosz (Jul 13, 2010), "Saab plots bright future for Gripen programme", Flight international (Farnborough: Flight global), Sweden's decades-long history of innovation in the aerospace sector is also evidenced by its Generic Future Fighter (GFF) concept. Developed by the Fluid and Mechatronic Systems division at Linköping University's department of Management and Engineering, the design has a Gripen-like fuselage with canards and canted tails.|chapter= ignored (help)